Fire and Ice
by Io Europa 2010
Summary: Slade is back, and with a new partner. Together, they devise a plan that will lead the Titans on an daring journy, and possibliy their doom! Can the Titans survive this latest onslaught?
1. Chapter 1

**Fire and Ice**

**Chapter One**

They stared out the window, admiring the spectacle outside. In the distance, a volcano was spewing out lava several miles high, with thick, glowing flows down its flanks. The shimmering rivers snaked along the surface, eventually pooling at several locations. The molten rain from above added to the torrent of molten rock and sulfur.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" said the woman.

"It certainly is." her male companion replied. "I couldn't have picked a better spot."

"Just remember, I'm the one that will be engaged in fighting here. You'll be on the other moon."

The man nodded. "I envy you." he said. "I once experienced an environment like this. I even had similar powers."

"I'm betting it didn't have the radiation this place does. You wouldn't like it for long."

"True." the man said. "Now, you're saying your sister can withstand this as well?"

"Yes." the woman replied. "Which is why she must be separated. Now, on the other world, are you sure you can handle the others?"

"The powers of the shape shifter and the cyborg won't function. The fighting abilities of their leader will be reduced. The witch is the one I'm not certain of, but I'm willing to bet she'll be cautious."

The women nodded. "I hope all goes well. This is a rather complicated plan."

"Yes." the man said. "But, if we're lucky, we can defeat our enemies once and for all."

He glanced at the sky. "Are you certain you will have the will to be rid of your sister?"

The woman glared at him. "As far as I'm concerned, I am an only child."

She grinned. "And I intend to make that a reality."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The Titans rested on the field over looking the city.

They were just outside the same forest that they had encountered Slade in person for the first time. But their thoughts were not of the villain. Rather, they were on recreation.

Seeing how beautiful a day it was, and noting the relative lack of crime in the city, Starfire convinced her friends to join her on an impromptu outing, desiring to be close to nature. Her friends agreed to it, and quickly had packed the necessary provisions, and sped off in the T-car.

Now, they were relaxing, digesting their meal.

"Life is good!" Beast Boy commented. "No villains, no worries, and no supervision!"

"For once, I agree with you." said Raven. "I can't imagine a time when we've been more relaxed."

"I am pleased to have contributed to our enjoyment of the day!" Starfire added. "We must do something like this more often!"

"If situations allow it." Robin remarked.

Cyborg stretched his joints and stood up. "Well, who's ready for some football?"

The Titans cheered as they stood up, except for Raven, who remained on the ground.

"Come Raven, let us go and kick the butt!" Starfire said.

"No thanks." she replied. "I'm fine where I am."

Shrugging, the Tamaranian girl joined her friends in the distance. They did several stretching exercises before commencing their game.

Raven smiled at the scene, happy to see her friends having so much fun. She might have joined them, but it wasn't her style. She preferred rest and relaxation.

She leaned back again, resting the back of her head on her hands and closing her eyes. She couldn't recall a time she felt more blissful.

She was almost in a meditative state when she felt a presence near by.

"Go away." she said. "I told you, I'm not playing."

"Come now, Raven." a sinister voice said. "I'm sure you'll enjoy this game."

Raven's eyes snapped open in surprise. Standing over her was Slade!

The mystic jumped to her feet and used her powers to fling the villain several yards, towards the other Titans. They noticed the commotion, dropped their game, and surrounded the fiend. Raven ran over to join them.

"That's one hell of a greeting." Slade muttered, getting to his feet.

"You picked a bad time to visit us, Slade!" Robin told him.

"Yeah! For once, I was winning!" Beast Boy added.

"Cry me a river, my green friend." Slade said. "You know, you picked an ironic location for your picnic." He chuckled. "Well Titans, today I shall finish what I started. And this time, none of you will live through it."

Robin almost laughed. "Slade, you sure do have the craziest delusions. How do you expect to defeat us here, by yourself?"

"Who said I was by myself?" he replied. "I have backup this time."

With that, a figure flew down from the sky, taking a position a few yards from Starfire. The Titans faced the newcomer.

"Blackfire?" Starfire exclaimed.

"In the flesh, my dear sister." she said. "Did you miss me?"

Starfire was speechless at first. Then, she growled in anger, and charged at Slade, gripping him by the throat.

"You have corrupted my sister to your cause! Do you have no limits to your evil ways? First you take my friends, now you take my family!"

Slade pushed the girl away. "You're a little confused, my dear. Blackfire joined me willingly."

"He's right." she said. "I'm not really his apprentice, unlike the others he worked with." She winked at Robin. "Rather, I'm more of a partner."

Starfire was even more furious. "You would join forces with this clorbag?"

"Why not? We do have a common goal, after all; the destruction of you and your friends!"

Robin felt uneasy. "Let's see you put your money where your mouth is. Titans, go!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Slade braced himself as Robin and Raven unleashed their onslaught against him. To assist, he whipped out his quarter staff to counter the blows of the Boy Wonder.

Ironically, it was his proximity to him that kept Raven in check; she feared that if she went all out against Slade, she might hurt Robin. So, she stuck to hand to hand combat.

Slade figured out her strategy in short time, and so kept close to the young hero.

Meanwhile, Starfire tackled Blackfire, with Cyborg and Beast Boy backing her up.

The Tamaranian villain also tried to keep close to her sister, in hope that her friends might hit her by accident. So far, they contained themselves, and were mostly spectators.

Beast Boy considered helping battle Slade, but felt that Robin and Raven could handle him. He returned his attention to the two fighting girls.

"These two should be on _Jerry Springer_!" he said aloud, admiring Starfire's fighting technique.

Blackfire overheard his comment. "Well then, I suppose you want a _real_ show then, huh?"

With that, Blackfire reached for Starfire's halter top, and yanked it upward, exposing her breasts.

She shrieked in surprise, and adjusted her costume. Angered, she blasted her sister with her eye beams.

"Nice boobs...err, I mean nice moves, Star!" Beast Boy said.

"No more comments from you, okay?" Cyborg told him as he tried to take aim with his sonic cannon and fired at the downed villain.

Blackfire recovered from the blast and smiled. "You and your friends have some strength after all, sister!" she yelled. "But it's not good enough!"

With that, she charged at her again.

Slade was managing to hold his own against his assailants, but found himself growing tired. 'Must be getting up in age.' he thought.

He forced himself to concentrate more on his style than on strength. Hopefully, he could tire out the two Titans and sneak in a severe blow. He saw his opportunity when Raven nearly tripped on a rock. With a quick thrust, he jabbed her in the solar plexus, sending her falling backward, gasping.

"Raven!" Robin yelled.

Slade suppressed a smile as he took advantage of Robin's distraction; he swung his weapon right at Robin's knee, bringing him to the ground.

"Your compassion is your undoing, Robin." Slade told him. "You never learned to let go of your friends when they are in danger. That's what makes you weak!"

Suddenly, Slade felt himself thrown a dozen yards by a claw of black energy. He landed against a tree and collapsed in a heap.

"Impressive!" he said, standing up again. "Robin, you should take lessons from her! Apparently, I picked the wrong apprentice on our first meeting."

"Don't let this fool you." Raven told him. "I just got tired of hearing your mouth."

"Indeed." Slade replied. "That makes two of us."

With that, he flung a gas grenade at her; both the mystic and the Boy Wonder were gagging on the effects of a thick cloud of tear gas.

Slade left them to their fate, and repeated this move against Beast Boy and Cyborg.

Blackfire noticed what was going on. "Time to go, little sister!" she said.

With that, she flung something that looked like a grey water balloon at her face. When it burst, Starfire's head was covered in a thick gel that blocked her vision. Her sister secure, Blackfire joined Slade on the ground.

He tossed a small, clear plastic cylinder on the grass. Then, Blackfire gripped his arm and flew away.

When the smoke cleared, the villains were gone.

"That could've gone better." said Cyborg.

"I don't get it." remarked Robin. "Slade had us after he gassed us. Why leave at his best opportunity?"

"I don't know, but we must be on our guard." Raven said.

The Titans were distracted by Starfire's plight as she struggled to get the substance off her face.

"Raven, help her!" Robin yelled.

"Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!" Raven commanded.

The gel on Starfire was enveloped in black energy for a second or two before bursting. Starfire heaved a deep breathe.

"Thank X'Hal! That was most uncomfortable."

Robin joined her. "Are you all right?"

"Not really." she said. "The fight was a tough one. And...Blackfire exposed me."

"What?" Robin asked.

Starfire explained what she meant.

"Sounds like Blackfire's fighting dirty." Raven remarked.

"No matter how she fights, she's going down!" Robin said to no one in particular.

"Hey dudes, look at this!" Beast Boy said. He stood over the cylinder Slade left behind. The Titans gathered around him.

"What is it?" the changeling asked.

"I don't know, but we better not touch it." Robin said. "Cyborg, secure it. We'll take it to the tower for analysis."

Cyborg obtained a plastic bag from their picnic supplies and placed the cylinder in it. He hoped that whatever was in it might provide some clue to what Slade's latest plan was.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

At the Tower, the Titans put away their food and picnic supplies. Afterward, they attended to their injuries.

Cyborg, meanwhile, began his analysis of the object Slade left for them. He triple checked for chemicals, nanites, and anything else he could think of. It took an hour and a half before his investigation was complete.

He brought the object to the main lounge, where the other Titans were waiting.

"Everything checks out." he said. "Nothing out of the ordinary about it."

"All right, Cy." Robin said. "Let's open it up."

He did so, cautiously unscrewing an end off it. He then removed the contents, setting down the empty cylinder. He read the paper; he had a rather confused expression on his face when he finished.

"What is it?" asked Robin.

"Take a look at it." he replied, handing him the paper.

Robin took it and read it out loud. "'Our final arena of battle will be at the realm of Fire and Ice. Come and meet your destiny.'"

"That _is_ weird." Beast Boy remarked.

"Anything else?" Raven asked.

"Yeah." Robin replied. "There's a symbol on it, like a number four, but with the left side curved outward."

He passed the paper around, letting the other three Titans look at it.

"What do you suppose it means?" Starfire asked.

"I don't know yet." Robin replied. "But I have a feeling that symbol is connected somehow."

"I'll check my books to see if I can find it." Raven said, standing up and taking the paper. "Don't wait up."

"I'll check the internet." Cyborg said, going to the computer.

"Good." Robin said. "In the meantime, we need a plan of some sort for next time we meet Slade and Blackfire."

The three remaining Titans discussed possible ideas for how to handle the two villains. In truth, however, Robin knew that whatever they came up with would be useless unless they knew what Slade meant in his message.

A half hour later, Raven and Cyborg returned.

"What have you found out?" Robin asked.

"It's rather confusing." Raven replied. "From what I found out, the symbol on that paper is the symbol for Jupiter."

"Jupiter?" Robin asked, confused.

"Yes." the mystic replied. "It could be that Slade might be involved in releasing him against us."

"Who was this Jupiter?" Starfire asked.

"He was the King of the Gods, the ruler of Olympus and the patron of the Roman state." Raven explained. "For the Greeks, he was Zeus, and the son of Cronus."

"There's another possibility." Cyborg added. "He might refer to the planet."

"And what is there about the planet?" Beast Boy asked.

"It's the largest planet in out solar system." Cyborg replied. "It's about a thousand times the volume of Earth and over three hundred times its mass. At the latest count, it has sixty-three moons."

"Sixty-three?" Beast Boy echoed. "That's one greedy planet!"

"No kidding." Robin said. "Anything else of significance?"

"Not really." Cyborg replied. "Just a bunch of data about it. You know, facts and figures."

"All right." said Robin. "Now we need to find a link between Jupiter and the phrase 'fire and ice'."

"I'm on it." Cyborg said, rushing to the computer. Raven joined him.

Robin walked to the window, staring at the bay waters. 'What are you up to this time, Slade?' he thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"Okay, here's what we've go so far." said Raven

It was early evening when Raven and Cyborg had finished their investigations. Both were tired, but still had enough energy to show their friends the results they came up with.

"The closest reference to Jupiter and the phrase 'fire and ice' appears to be something about two of it's big moons." said Cyborg.

"The two moons are called Io and Europa." Raven added.

"How do they fit into the picture?" Robin asked.

"Io is a volcanic moon." Cyborg explained. "It has hundreds of active volcanoes. Europa, on the other hand, is covered in ice, with cracks here and there. Like a giant version of Antarctica."

Robin nodded. "Fire and ice. Who would've thought Slade was so poetic."

"But what has this to do with us?" Starfire asked.

"His message did say that's were our final battle was." said Raven. "It could be that's where he wants to fight us."

"And damn clever of him to pick those places too." added Cyborg.

"Why's that?" asked Beast Boy.

"Jupiter itself has powerful radiation." Cyborg replied. "Not even machines manage to experience it without some form of damage. On Io, volcanoes spew out tons of lava over a hundred miles high, flooding the areas around it. The moon literally turns itself inside out."

"That sounds like Slade's mentality alright." Robin commented.

Cyborg continued his lecture. "Europa isn't so bad. At most, there are cracks in the surface that form from time to time. Still, you want to be on the side away from Jupiter."

"What do you mean by 'the side that faces away?'" Beast Boy asked.

"Like Earth's moon, Jupiter's moons keep one side locked toward it." Cyborg said. "So, if you're on the opposite side, you'll never see the planet. That'll keep you safe from radiation."

The Titans said nothing for a minute or so. Then Starfire snapped her fingers.

"Of course! I think I know what Slade's plan is!"

"What do you mean?" Robin asked.

"Blackfire and I can withstand that radiation." she said. "So, I believe Slade intends to separate the rest of you from me, allowing Blackfire to attack me without your help."

"And that leaves him free to attack us!" Beast Boy added. "Bring it on!"

"Don't be so eager, Beast Boy." Raven said. "Remember, there's no air for us to breathe there. So I don't think you'll be able to use your powers, since you'll be in a space suit."

"And my sonic cannon will be useless too." Cyborg added. "Even with the four of us, our strength is essentially cut in half."

"Still, we're not a hundred percent sure if Slade really is at Jupiter." said Robin. "We need a way to confirm it before going off on some crazy mission."

"I could contact the Justice League to give it a look." said Cyborg.

"Excellent!" Robin said. "And while you're at it, see if they have anyone to spare."

"Gotcha." Cyborg went to the communication terminal to make contact.

"In the meantime, Titans, I say we get ready for a little trip." Robin said.

"Yeah." Beast Boy remarked. "A trip in our favorite rocket ship!"

Raven groaned. "I need some tea."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Cyborg stared at the communication screen, watching as the girl typed in commands on her keyboard.

"I think I got it." Supergirl said. "Any reason you want me to do this?"

"We may have trouble there." he replied. "A couple of rough villains may be getting ready to attack us. We just want to make sure they're not leading us on a wild goose chase."

"Good idea." Supergirl replied. She then appeared distracted by something. "Results are coming in." she said.

Cyborg was anxious. "Anything?" he asked.

"Hold on." she told him. "Well, it's hard to make out, but there appears to be some sort of space ship there."

"Let me see it." Cyborg requested.

Supergirl typed on her keyboard. An inset showed the image she obtained. It was a view of a grayish looking world, with cracks all over it. The image was magnified in one spot, to reveal a spindle shaped, gold colored object. Cyborg barely noticed some markings on it. They seemed familiar.

"Hold on while I print this." the bionic hero said. He typed in a command. Moments later, a printer spat out the image.

"Thanks, Supergirl." he said. "By the way, I don't suppose you can spare anyone, can you?"

"Sorry." she replied. "Everyone is either on assignment or on watch up here."

"Well, that's okay." he said. "I'm sure we can handle this. Cyborg out."

The screen went blank. Cyborg leaned back in his chair, examining the picture he held. He then quickly went into the main lounge. There, the other Titans were engaged in conversation. They stopped when their friend arrived.

"Did you get anything?" Robin asked.

"I'll have to show this to Star." he told him, handing the paper to the Tamaranian.

She glanced at it for a moment. "It is Blackfire." she said.

"How do you know?" Robin asked her.

"The markings on the ship." she said, pointing them out. "They are in my native language. Roughly translated, it says 'Big Bad Sister'."

"She likes to personalize all her stuff, huh?" Beast Boy remarked.

"Yes, she does." Starfire answered. "So, now we know for sure that my sister and Slade are at Jupiter."

"Yes, we do." Robin said. "And we're going to meet him."

"Robin, he _wants_ us to do that!" Cyborg said. "Why can't we just let him sit there and rot? Why not wait for him to come to us?"

"Because if we do, there's no telling what Slade and Blackfire can come up with to destroy us!" he answered. "They might even become more than a match for the Justice League. Speaking of which, can they spare anyone?"

Cyborg shook his head.

Robin sighed. "Well, no matter. We _have_ to stop him, where he is, right now!"

"Does it have to be tonight?" Raven asked. "I mean, can't we get some sleep? Better for us to fight when our minds are refreshed."

"Raven is right." said Starfire. "We must face our foes at our peak! We should rest tonight."

Robin considered what they said. "Yeah, I suppose you're right. We'll get some sleep. Tomorrow morning, we leave in the T-ship."

"I'll prepare it right now." said Cyborg. "And while I'm at it, I'll get the space suits for us."

"Good idea." Robin told him. "Also, you and Beast Boy will need weapons of some sort."

"Oh, I want a laser!" the changeling exclaimed. "Lasers are cool!"

"Just become a shark, and I'll stick it on your head." Cyborg said as he left the room. The other Titans laughed at his joke.

"Very funny." Beast Boy said, crossing his arms.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Robin awoke early in his room. He checked his clock, and knew that the other Titans wouldn't be up for another two hours (that is, if they remembered to set their alarms).

He laid down again, hoping to doze off. But his mind was already alert and restless, so he decided to get dressed.

After donning his uniform, he left his room and made for the roof. Once there, he stared toward the east. The horizon was a light shade of pink, fading to dark blue. A few stars remained in the sky. Most noticeable was a very bright dot, a third of the way toward the zenith. For some reason, Robin's attention was fixed on it.

"Jupiter" said a voice.

Robin turned to face Starfire. She was dressed in her uniform, and also stared at the sky.

"What?" he asked.

"That bright star. It is Jupiter."

Robin looked toward it again. "Oh. I thought that thing was familiar."

Starfire nodded. "It is strange how lovely it look from Earth, when it presents a potentially deadly environment."

"Not only that." Robin added. "It'll also be the site of our battle today."

Starfire sighed, closing her eyes. She then faced Robin. "It is sad that my sister wished to join forces with Slade."

"It's her choice." Robin told her. "Just like it was with Terra. Of course, I'm inclined to think that Blackfire is naturally evil."

Starfire glared at him. "I can not accept that! I know there is good in her! I just have to bring it out. You will see!"

She left the roof, leaving Robin alone. He hoped that Starfire's optimism would not be her downfall.

A couple of hours later, the Titans had all awakened. They had a large breakfast, and were now assembled in the launch bay.

Except for Starfire, they all changed into their space suits. They were little different than what regular astronauts wore, except more form fitting, and were a light, silvery grey in color.

Robin's suit had a special utility belt on it. Cyborg and Beast Boy each had holster's that contained what Cyborg called plasma pistols. To Beast Boy, they were cooler than lasers. Raven carried no weapons.

When they finished donning the suits, they each took their places in the T-ship.

"Okay Titans," said Robin. "Let's go through the checklist."

"Main power cells, online!" Cyborg announced.

"Weapon systems ready!" said Raven.

"Life support systems at full capacity!" Beast Boy added.

"Navigational systems, set!" Starfire announced.

"Plasma thrusters, ready!" Robin added. He then pressed a button.

The launch bay doors opened up, letting in the sunlight from the early dawn. Robin then typed in a few more commands. The engines whined, and then revved up to full power.

The T-ship slowly rose straight up on two columns of superheated plasma. It quickly accelerated through the atmosphere, streaking faster and faster. It wasn't long before it exceeded the speed of sound. A few minutes later, it was in orbit.

"All right," Robin said. "Let's go kick some butt!"

The T-ship then reoriented itself. The plasma from the engines intensified and changed color from yellow to bright blue. The ship picked up speed, rocketing away from Earth, past the moon, and into deep space.

The ship eventually was traveling at a good fraction of the speed of light. Checking their course, Cyborg reduced power to the engines.

"We should be at Jupiter in a few hours." he said.

"How long, exactly?" Robin asked him.

"About six or seven hours, depending on traffic." he said, jokingly. But Robin was not amused.

"Well guys, might as well get some rest before then. We got a long day ahead of us."

"Wonderful." Beast Boy deadpanned. "I should've brought some games."

"Too bad, huh?" Raven said, closing her eyes. She drifted off to a meditative state.

Starfire said nothing. Her mind was preoccupied with her sister's actions. How strong was her alliance with Slade? What were her intentions?

The rest of the Titans relaxed, dozing off.

Hours later, an alarm started beeping. Cyborg silenced it.

"There it is!" he told his friends, who were napping.

When they all awoke, they saw a site that made them gasp. Ahead, laid a multicolored globe, which looked like a work of abstract art. Some places looked like weather gone mad, including an impressive looking hurricane. Cyborg was in awe at the site, reminding himself that this bloated world was a thousand times the volume of Earth, and that the hurricane he saw, the Great Red Spot, was large enough to swallow three Earths!

The Titans all felt apprehension at the sites ahead.

"Is it too late to go home?" Beast Boy asked.

Robin resolved himself. "We're going in!" he said, defiantly.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Cyborg piloted the T-ship towards the inner Jovian system.

The plan was to drop off Starfire at Io, then take the T-ship to Europa, where the rest of the team would search for Slade. It was risky for Starfire, leaving her on her own, but Robin felt confident that the Tamaranian could handle her sister.

Starfire prepared her module by shutting off the life support system. She bled off the air into space via a vent valve. Her body naturally altered its functions to adapt her to the environment of space. She then adjusted her headset so that it would register the low energy plasma waves her vocal cords now generated that allowed her to talk in space.

"I am prepared." she told Robin.

"Very good, Star." he replied. "We're almost at the drop off point."

Ahead of the ship, laid Io. The moon was at a point in its orbit where Jupiter appeared as a moderate sized crescent. The moon itself was, to their point of view, in its last quarter.

"I can make it from here." said Starfire.

"All right." Cyborg said. "Cutting off engines."

The T-ship now drifted. Starfire opened her canopy and flew away from the ship. She waved goodbye at her friends before flying toward the surface.

Starfire glanced over her shoulder to see her friends now make their way for the icy moon, Europa. In a way, she envied them. Looking at the world below her, she wished for one of ice and stability, not one of violence and volcanoes. Still, she had no choice in the manner.

She was now a few miles above the surface. Already, she could see the work of the lava flows on the moon's surface. Starfire flew a few hundred yards before stopping.

'How do I know where to begin?' she thought to herself. Then, she realized the solution quickly. 'If I am to find my sister, I must think like my sister!'

She stared at the surface, then at Jupiter. 'Of course!' she realized. 'My sister likes danger. So, what better danger than to be near the source of it!'

She flew toward the direction of Io's near side, the side that always faced Jupiter.

Starfire quickly flew over the tortured landscape, evading a few eruptions along the way. She also felt a slight tingling sensation that puzzled her. Ignoring it, she continued her search.

Starfire quickly came to the terminator, scanning for any signs of her sister. She decided to fly lower, in hopes of catching any smaller details. It did not take long for her strategy to reward itself; she saw markings in her native language carved in huge letters.

"'Blackfire was here.'" she read aloud. "How vain." She descended.

On the surface, Starfire noted the ground was rather soft in some spots, hard as rock in others. Her boots were quickly covered in sickly yellow sulfur.

She looked around, but saw no signs of her sister.

"Perhaps I was wrong." she said to herself.

Then, she felt a violent tug on her skirt. She looked down to see it had been yanked to her ankles. Shrieking in embarrassment, she pulled it back to its proper place. She then spun around to face her assailant; Blackfire.

"I see you still like purple underwear." she said, smiling sardonically.

"Why have you done such a childish thing?" Starfire yelled angrily.

"Because I intend to make your remaining moments alive a living hell!"

Starfire was astonished. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Simple." Blackfire replied. "I intend to kill you."

"You would not!" Starfire exclaimed.

"Oh yes, I would. Normally, I'd salute you as a worthy adversary to my genius, but frankly, I really do hate your guts."

"Why do you wish to murder me, sister?"

"Because of what you are! You were always liked better than me! You stood in my way of fun, of power! You took my throne, banished me from my home planet! And you embarrass me with your stupid obsession with these Earthlings! And to think that I can speak their language better than you!"

"I am still learning!"

"Well, school's out, kid. And today, it's graduation day."

Starfire was near tears. She shook her head sadly at her sister. 'Robin was right about her.' she thought. 'He knew. I just didn't listen.'

"How sad, my dear sister." she finally said. "You make me wish I were an only child."

"Let's end this!" Blackfire hissed.

With that, she charged at Starfire, grasping for her throat.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Cyborg had to pilot the T-ship to the far side of the Jovian system to rendezvous with Europa.

"This is going to make it difficult to contact Starfire." he told Robin.

"Let's hope she can handle Blackfire." he replied.

"She'll whip her sorry butt!" said Beast Boy. "She's tough! And when she wants to be, she's a badass!"

Robin could only smile at the changeling's comments.

"Not to interrupt the conversation but we're here." Raven said.

Ahead of them laid Europa. To the Titans, it was a grayish world, looking like dirty ice. There were streaks across it's surface that crisscrossed the entire globe. As they got closer, more details were evident. Valleys and cliffs of ice were visible, as well as areas that, paradoxically, looked like icebergs amidst the surrounding ice.

"What a weird place." Beast Boy said aloud.

"Okay, let's find Slade." said Robin.

They started the search on the far side of the moon, since it provided protection against Jupiter's radiation, and thus was the most likely area for Slade to hide.

The search was only a half hour old when the radar detected something.

"It looks like it may be a ship." said Raven. "It's about the right size of the one spotted by Supergirl."

"Then let's check it out." Robin said.

The T-ship dove toward the surface. As they descended, Robin prepared himself mentally for the danger ahead. He hoped his team would fair well in this alien environment. He shuddered at the thought of something going wrong.

They landed a few hundred yards away from the other ship. There were on a relatively flat plain, with a few curved ridges on its surface. They looked suspicious to Robin for some reason, but he disregarded them.

The Titans each sealed their suits, and exited their ship. Robin brought out his bo staff, while Cyborg and Beast Boy drew their plasma pistols. Raven simply was on watch for any movement.

They slowly walked to the other ship, noting the low gravity.

"It's like being on the moon!" Beast Boy commented.

"Have you ever been there before?" Raven asked him.

"No."

"Then how do you know to compare this to it?"

"Well, I did see movies with those guys that walked on the moon."

"Watching it is one thing. Experience is something else."

"Cut the chatter you two." Robin told them. "We need to be on our guard."

"I couldn't agree more." a voice said.

The Titans looked around frantically for the source of the voice. Then, Robin saw a figure jump from behind a low hill, spun, and landed in the middle of his group.

"Surprise, Titans!" said Slade, who was brandishing a large weapon. "Say hello to my little friend!"

With that, he fired his weapon, which spat out bluish white bolts of plasma. The Titans barely managed to avoid his barrage.

"I call it a plasma rifle." Slade told them. "Neat, isn't it?"

Robin glared at him in anger. The villain wore a suit not too different from his, but was black and orange in color. He still wore his mask beneath his transparent helmet.

"You're going down, Slade!" said Raven.

"Oh really, my dear?" he taunted. "Well, let's see you put your money where you mouth is."

He opened fire at her, aiming for her head. The mystic used her powers to shield herself, and managed to push over the fiend with a black energy claw.

Slade recovered in time to avoid a barrage from Cyborg and Beast Boy. In retaliation, he flung a pair of knives at them. They barely missed them.

Robin then charged at Slade with his staff. Slade saw him coming, and so whipped out his own staff. One handed, he countered Robin's blows. Then, with his other hand, he hit him on the shoulder with the plasma rifle.

Robin winced in pain, but still managed to keep up the fight. As he did, Raven came from behind Slade, ready to strike. Slade noticed the mystic's approach, and managed to take a few shots at her. Cyborg and Beast Boy moved in from two different directions. Slade jumped clear of the attack, sailing over Robin's head. When he landed, he knocked him down with his staff. He was about to shoot him when Raven pushed him away with her powers. The shot went wild and struck the T-ship instead.

"That tears it!" Cyborg yelled, causing the others to wince in pain at his deafening voice over their headsets.

He leapt toward Slade, ready to bring his fist down on him. Slade avoided his blow, and managed to slice open his suit at the leg.

The bionic hero fell, and struggled to fix the damage with a small repair kit on his suit.

The other Titans saw the action, and knew they had to distract Slade before he finished off their friend. Raven sent a chuck of ice toward him, but Slade avoided it.

"You are quite an annoyance, Raven." he told her. "I wonder just how your friends put up with you."

"We like her very much, thank you!" Beast Boy yelled.

He charged at Slade, his plasma pistol in hand.

"No Beast Boy!" Robin yelled.

But it was too late. Slade had the desired effect on the young hero. Now, he took action, by getting a few quick shots with his plasma rifle.

The bolts struck the changeling on his hand, destroying his weapon and disintegrating the glove that held it. His hand was badly burned. And now, he was loosing air.

Raven rushed to his aid, using her powers to keep the air from rushing out of his suit.

"Raven, get him to the ship!" Robin told her. "I can handle Slade".

She nodded, helping her friend to the T-ship. As she did, she passed Cyborg.

"You all right?" she asked.

"I'll live." he replied. "I lost my pistol."

Raven nodded. "Robin's handling Slade. Help me get Beast Boy back to the ship."

Cyborg did so, noting the expression of pain on his friend's face. The bionic hero began to have doubts that they would all leave this battleground alive.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

The two Tamaranian girls were battered and tired. The battle between them had taken them over most of the surface of Io. They had exchanged punches, kicks, scratches, hair pulling, rock throwing, starbolts, and insults. Now, they rested on their hands and knees.

Blackfire's costume was torn in many places, with hints of dried blood on her right shoulder and left leg.

Starfire's clothes were not as badly damaged (considering they covered less area), but her skin showed more abuse. Her wrist guards were gone, leaving only bands of cloth behind. Her boots were ripped, and her skirt was torn half its length on her left side. Her legs had trails of dried blood, as well as bruises of many sizes. Her belly was bruised, as was her face. Signs of blood were present on the corner of her mouth, as well as both nostrils.

Despite their conditions, both girls were driven by a determination to defeat the other. While Blackfire sought to kill her sister, Starfire merely wanted to knock her rival unconscious, in hopes of having her taken to a prison colony, where she would be out of anyone's way.

"Ready for more, sister?" Blackfire said, feeling stronger.

"Bring it on!" Starfire challenged, defiantly.

"Let's take this to a new level!"

With that, Blackfire flew off. Starfire gave chase.

They headed for Jupiter itself, toward the polar region. Starfire gave no notice until she felt a strange tingling sensation. It was more intense than when she felt it the first time.

"Feeling the heat, sister?" Blackfire yelled.

Growling, Starfire quickened her pace. Just then, a shock jolted through her body.

'How is she doing this?' she thought. Just then, another shock went through her.

"It's the flux tube." Blackfire said. "Five million amps of electricity flowing from here to that place we just left. With any luck, it'll fry you, sister!"

"But it will burn you too!" Starfire said, concerned.

"Not if I avoid it!"

Laughing, Blackfire flew onward. Starfire tried to close the gap between them, matching her course to Blackfire's. But whatever course she took, a jolt would stun her. And they seemed to be growing in intensity.

In a flash, Starfire realized what else was going it. It seemed that Blackfire herself was providing a disturbance for the charges to take place.

'That is how she is not effected!' she thought.

She paused in her flight, unsure what to do next. Then, something occurred to her.

'If I am to beat her, I must think like her.'

She flew towards Jupiter again.

Blackfire looked over her shoulder to see if Starfire was closer. She was stunned to see her sister descending toward the giant planet.

"What is she doing?" she said aloud, flying toward her.

Blackfire took only seconds to catch up with Starfire, would was still heading for the cloud tops.

"Where do you think you're going, sister?" she asked.

"I give up." Starfire answered. "I quit this. I do not wish to fight anymore."

"Good!" Blackfire exclaimed. "Now, just let me kill you painlessly, and I'll be done."

"I never said I would let you kill me."

"Well then, I'll have to do this the hard way, won't I?"

"Yes, you certainly will."

With that, Starfire grabbed at Blackfire's leg and began a steep descent. They were now in the clouds.

"What are you doing, you fool?" she yelled.

"Surrender, sister!" Starfire told her, still diving.

"Never!" Blackfire yelled back.

Starfire flew faster. Now there were miles into the Jovian atmosphere, with multicolored clouds as far as the eye could see, and thunderstorms the size of Alaska dotting the 'cloudscape'.

Blackfire kicked at her sister's hand, but Starfire never relented her grip.

"If you don't let me go, we'll _both_ die!" she yelled.

"Whatever is takes, my sister!" Starfire countered.

Blackfire was appalled at this behavior. Never had she imagined her sister being _this_ ruthless!

"So, sister." she said. "You've finally learned to do what's necessary."

Starfire paused in her flight, now 25 miles into the atmosphere. She kept her grip firmly on Blackfire's thigh. With her other hand, she gripped her waist band.

"Do you wish to surrender?" she asked her.

Blackfire scoffed. "I think you know the answer to that."

With that, she kicked hard at Starfire. She lost her grip on her sister's leg, but held fast to the waist band. Blackfire then tried to fly away, but felt her progress was impeded. She put more effort into her escape.

Starfire tried to counter her sister's force, but was being dragged along. She once again grabbed Blackfire's leg, but it was no use. Her sister was just too strong.

Another idea then came to her mind. She altered her technique so that she forced Blackfire to point downwards.

"You crazy _ka'holm_!" she cursed. "What are you doing? Get off!"

Blackfire kicked hard at Starfire's face. She lost her grip on Blackfire's leg, but held fast to the waist band. Because of the change in direction of her force, Starfire wound up pulling off Blackfire's pants. She flew several hundred yards downward before stopping herself.

Starfire looked at her prize, then at Blackfire. To her amusement, she saw her sister wore pink underwear.

"How the tables have turned, my sister." she said, smugly.

Blackfire noticed her state of undress.

"Give me those!" she screamed.

Starfire smiled at her and flew off at high speed. Blackfire was in hot pursuit.

A few seconds into the chase, forces were at work and building in intensity. This time, Starfire had initiated them.

She flew near a thunderstorm before changing course. Blackfire was close behind, when a powerful super bolt of lightning struck her in the chest. She screamed and fell into the clouds.

Starfire saw this, and rushed to her sister's aid, catching her. She appeared asleep. Starfire was unsure she was even alive.

"Oh Blackfire, I am so sorry!"

She left the atmosphere, making way once more for Io.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Robin was starting to feel tired. He was not used to fighting in gravity much weaker than Earth's. Slade, on the other hand, seemed to have to problem. He obviously had trained on Europa or a place with similar gravity in advance.

Nevertheless, his training allowed him to ward off the blows the villain was delivering. He was unsure of how long he could last, though.

"Had enough, Robin?" Slade taunted.

"No damn way!" he retorted. "I'll defeat you!"

"Right!" Slade laughed. "I've heard that one before! And yet, I just keep coming back, like a bad penny."

"Then get ready for a bath in vinegar, Slade, because I'm going to clean your clock!"

Robin attacked with a burst of speed, trying to catch Slade off guard. He tried to take a swing at his legs, then arms, stomach, and finally his head. But each time, Slade countered the blows. He then tried to land a blow on Robin, but the Boy Wonder just managed to block the impact.

"We'll be at this all day, Robin." Slade told him.

"I have nothing but time." he hissed.

Just then, a slight tremor nearly knocked the two fighters off balance. Slade laughed.

"I almost forgot to mention, Robin! This is an area that's under stress. Jupiter's gravity cracks the ice in the ridge patterns. Soon, it will crack open, causing some problems for us, wouldn't you say?"

Robin blanched. "You had this all figured out, didn't you Slade?"

"It's called 'planning'. You should try it."

Robin glared at him. Then, he looked at the ground, then at Slade. He grinned slightly as he devised his next move.

"Even though planning is good Slade, it doesn't hurt to be spontaneous."

With that, he took out several of his explosive disks and flung them at an area he noticed was about to fracture. They exploded on contact, making a slight tremor.

"Was that supposed to do something?" Slade asked.

As if in response, the ground jolted and rumbled as a large crack began to form.

"Well done, Robin!" Slade remarked. "But it won't save you or your friends."

"Who said anything about 'saving'?" he replied as he spun his bo staff. He then charged at Slade.

The villain caught the blow in time with his own staff, but was nearly knocked over by another series of tremors. Robin took advantage of this by making a quick blow to Slade's back. The blow caused a malfunction in the villain's life support system.

"You miserable punk!" Slade yelled when he realized what the young hero had done.

"Better run, Slade!" Robin said, smiling.

Angrily, Slade knew Robin was right. But he also had an urge for revenge.

"You're victory will be short lived, Robin." he told him. "Remember, I hate to loose."

With that, he flung an large explosive device into a new crevice. When it detonated, the ground shook violently. Robin fell, landing on his knees and dropping his staff. Before he could get up, Slade grabbed him and threw him into the crevice.

Robin fell slowly into the fracture, stopping himself before he hit the bottom. To his horror, the vibrations were even worse there. He couldn't get a firm hold on the walls to push himself out.

Slade looked down the crevice and admired his work. With that, he then made his way to his ship.

At the T-ship, Cyborg and Raven had just finished tending to Beast Boy when the tremors started.

"What the hell is going on?" the bionic hero exclaimed.

"Feels like a quake!" Raven said. "Slade must have done something!"

Cyborg rushed over to observe the battle in the distance. He could make out the figures of Slade and Robin fighting each other, despite the commotion.

"Robin seems to be giving Slade a run for his money. I think he can handle him."

He returned to the T-ship and started a systems check.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked him.

"We got to be ready to get out of here in a hurry, so I have to make sure the T-ship isn't screwed up." he answered. "How's Beast Boy doing?"

Raven checked the resting changeling. He was in his strapped in his seat, with a bandage on his hand. An oxygen mask covered his mouth and nose.

To help him, Raven had to climb in the cockpit with him, which was no easy task in the cramped quarters. She managed to ease him out of his shock, and then sedated him. With her powers, she helped heal his hand. Still, the skin was tender and raw, so she had to apply medication to it and wrap it in bandages .

"He seems to be okay." Raven said, checking the vital signs on the computer. "Let's hope the rest of us will be."

At that moment, there was another violent tremor, which knocked both Titans down.

"Give us a break, will you?" Raven yelled at the moon.

A crackle of static was heard on their radios, which got Cyborg's attention.

"Robin?" he asked. "Starfire?"

There was no answer.

"Could Jupiter be interfering?" Raven asked him.

"With Starfire, yes. But I'm not sure with Robin's radio."

Cyborg went back to look over the battlefield the two had fought at. Neither one of them was there. Then, the other ship rose into the sky and rocketed away. Cyborg was dumbstruck by the sight.

"Robin..." he muttered.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Starfire set Blackfire on the ground, examining her for signs of life. Given that she was in a vacuum, she couldn't check for breathing. Only her heartbeat would be a reliable sign. And thus far, Starfire had not seen any indication her sister's heart was beating.

Near tears, she began chest compressions on Blackfire, just as she learned on Earth (fortunately, the Tamaranian heart was in a similar location to that of a human heart). The main complication was that without air to force into her lungs, Starfire could not guarantee her technique would work.

She pumped her sister's chest for several minutes, each time checking for a pulse. It was to no avail.

Tears welled up in Starfire's eyes. They evaporated quickly in the environment of space. Shaking her head, she put Blackfire's pants on her. She then picked her up and flew her to a rather tall mesa. There, she set down her body and laid her on her back. She then adjusted her hair neat as she could get it, and crossed her arms over her chest.

Stepping back, Starfire knelt and said a prayer in her native tongue.

When she rose, she flew off to search for her friends. She wondered how they would take the news of her sister's death.

It took several minutes before Starfire finally found the icy world of Europa. She dove toward it, looking to see where the other Titan's landed. She made way for a region not far from the near side.

Sure enough, she spotted the glint of the T-ship. She dove faster. Then, she realized she no longer had her headset on. It would be impossible to let them know she was coming.

She landed on the surface a few yards from the T-ship. She spotted Raven, who was looking at something in the distance. She tapped her on the shoulder.

Raven spun around and saw who it was. She quickly embraced Starfire. She seemed to say she was glad to see her.

Starfire pointed out the lack of her headset. Raven nodded, and then pointed to Cyborg.

The Tamaranian flew to him.

Cyborg appeared preoccupied with searching for something, but Starfire could not tell what. He managed to see Starfire out of the corner of his eye.

Cyborg also greeted his friend, but then noted her headset was missing. He knelt down and traced a letter 'R' in the ice. He then pointed to the newly formed, large crevice.

Starfire looked at it and realized what he meant. "Robin!"

Tamaranian adrenaline pumped through Starfire's veins as she flew toward the crevice and flung the ice out of her way. Having already dealt with one death today, she could not handle another.

Her efforts were rewarded less than a minute into her search. Robin was caught in the ice, struggling to get free. Best of all, he was still alive.

Wasting no time, Starfire pulled him free and flew out of the crevice, toward the T-ship. Cyborg saw them, and rushed to join them.

The remaining Titans wasted no time in getting back in their ship. Each of them got into their cockpits and closed their canopies. The life support system kicked into action soon afterwards. Starfire welcomed the fresh smell of oxygen.

"That is good, Cyborg!" she said.

"Only the best for the Teen Titans." he said. "Okay, let's light this candle and get home!"

"Yes," Starfire sighed. "Let us return."

Robin noticed sadness in her voice. "Is something wrong, Star?" he asked.

"I shall tell you when we get home." she replied as the T-ship lifted off from Europa.

She looked off to the side, watching as the icy world fell astern.

'Goodbye, my sister.' she thought. 'I shall take revenge for your death! I swear it!'

With that, she dozed off and slept for the remainder of the trip.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

The Titans were relaxing in the lounge, reminiscing over the tale Starfire had told them.

They had all cleaned themselves up and changed into fresh clothes. Beast Boy was awake now, and had a fresh bandage on his hand. Starfire's injuries were treated, but her bruises were still visible.

"I never figured that a lightning bolt would be able to take out Blackfire." Beast Boy commented.

"It was no ordinary lightning." Cyborg said. "Jupiter's lightning is more powerful than Earth's."

"Oh." was all Beast Boy could say.

"I don't understand why Slade didn't come to get Blackfire after he left me for dead." said Robin.

"I doubt he ever intended to make his partnership with her last." Raven replied. "Either that, or he somehow knew that Blackfire was dead."

"Whatever the case may be, he now has a powerful ship as his disposal." commented Cyborg.

Starfire thought for a moment, and then grinned. "I do not think he will have it for long." she said.

"Why's that?" asked Robin.

"If I know my sister, she most likely set it up to destroy itself in case it was stolen by anyone besides her. And I doubt she trusted Slade enough to deactivate it."

Robin smiled. "Amazing how important trust can be."

The Titans laughed.

"So," said Beast Boy. "Anyone for a picnic tomorrow?"

Starfire shook her head. "I wish for us to hang out here, at our home. With our recent travels, I would like to enjoy the comforts of home."

"I couldn't agree more." Robin said. "We all could use a break."

In a desert, Slade admired the city from a cliff. He then looked back at his new prize.

"A pity Blackfire had to be sacrificed for this new machine of mine." he said aloud. "But I will make it worthwhile. The things we shall do together!"

He pondered how he should proceed with his reign of terror with his new ship and its weapons, when he heard a loud beeping.

He rushed into the cockpit to see what the matter was. He was uncertain what the indication was, but he knew it couldn't be good; various indicators showed red lines, as well as warning messages. Sensing danger, he ran out of the ship and got as far away from it as possible.

When he was a dozen yards away, the ship blew itself apart in a series of explosions.

Slade glared at the inferno. "Damn you, Blackfire!" he yelled. "And damn you, Titans! Damn you all to hell!"

"My sentiments exactly." said a voice.

Slade spun around and saw a figure he didn't expect he'd ever see again.

"Blackfire!" he exclaimed.

She was covered in yellow dust and her clothes were torn in dozens of places. Dried blood was on her nose and the corner of her lips. Bruises lined both her eyes. Most noticeable was a burn mark on her chest.

"Miss me?" she asked.

"How did...I thought you were dead!"

The girl laughed. "As if you were concerned! I faked my death, thanks to training I had from some out of town residents."

Slade nodded in admiration. "Good strategy. But why fake your death?"

"Well, the lightning that gave me this." She indicated the burn mark on her chest. "It managed to knock me out. I figured it best to fake my death, thus being free to come up with a new plan."

"I see." said Slade. "Now, how do you explain your ship?"

"In case of theft, a self-destruct device activates. If the thiefhappened to be in space, well, too bad, so sad."

"And you didn't trust me enough to let it recognize me?"

"Would you?"

Slade considered her question. "No, not really. You know, we really do make a good pair. We think alike."

"Right." Blackfire said sarcastically.

"Now that we are reunited, we can come up with a brilliant plan for destroying the Titans!"

"_We? _There is no _we_ anymore, Slade."

"Blackfire, you have proven yourself to be shrewd and cunning. Surely you can put aside what happened? After all, I _did_ think you were dead."

"If I left you for dead Slade, would you be inclined to trust _me_ again?"

Slade pondered the question. "I suppose not." he said at last. "So, why are you here? To extract revenge?"

"No." Blackfire said. "I just came to see your reaction to my little surprise. And also to bid you farewell."

"What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Unlike you Slade, I'd prefer my revenge to be extracted upon you by another party; my sister."

"Your sister? How do you plan on that? Send her a request via an email?"

"If I understand her thinking, she will see you as being as instrumental to my 'death'. Therefore, she will take revenge upon you. And saying that you have found me alive won't work with her either, given that she herself saw me 'dead'. So, you're in pretty deep shit, Slade."

The masked villain took in what the Tamaranian had told him. What upset him even more was that she was right. Starfire would take revenge on him. And given that the girl was concluded about her sister's supposed fate, it was not likely for her to believe him.

"You are one hell of an astute bitch, Blackfire."

"I know." she said, smugly. "Now, if you don't mind, I have things to attend to. Have a nice life!"

With that, she flew off, leaving Slade standing in the desert, alone and dumbstruck. And for the first time he could recall, he truly feared for his life.

**The End**


End file.
